Author(s): SILVA, V. P. da; GARCIA, M.; BOTTON, M.

Summary: Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are common pests in fruitproduction(Franco et al., 2009; Daane et al., 2012). The obscure mealybug Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) is a cosmopolitan and polyphagous species found in 56 countries. It feeds on members of nearly 90 plant families and 240 genera (García et al., 2016), and is one of the main pest species of vineyards (Vitis spp., Vitaceae) in Brazil as well as other countries of the Americas (Correa et al., 2012; Daane et al., 2012; Pacheco da Silva et al., 2014). P. viburni also attacks other plants of economic importance, such as apples (Rosaceae) and pears (Rosaceae) (Ciampolini et al., 2002; Dapoto et al., 2011). It feeds on the leaves, trunks, cordons, canes, fruits and roots of host plants. Similarly to other mealybug species, P. viburni causes damage to leaves and grape clusters due to its copious secretion of honeydew, which provides a substrate for the development ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail: vitorcezar@gmail.com (V. Pacheco da Silva). of sooty mold, responsible for losses in productivity, marketability and quality of grapes (Daane et al., 2012). Moreover, the species has been related to the transmission of Grapevine leafroll associated virus and Grapevine Trichovirus A and B, viruses that cause vineyard degeneration, and losses in the productivity and quality of clusters (Garau et al., 1995; Golino et al., 2002).

Publication year: 2017

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Grape & Wine

Keywords: Biological control, Chalcidoidea, Controle Biológico, Coquila, Encyrtids, Espécies polifagas, Obscure mealybug, Parasitism, Parasitismo, Praga, Praga de planta, Pragas de vinhas, Pseudococcus viburni, Uva